Method of making anthraquinone and like products



Patented Oct. 6, 1931 ELLIS A. LLOYDCAND mam riennsnon. or-ivnw Yonmn. Y., ASSIGNORS T0 v wrLmvr a. enosvnivoaor mw YORK, N. Y.

mnrnonor hiqttnnhoui-nonnnnn LIKE rnonuors N0 D a n :Our invention relates to improvements in methods of making anthraquinone andlike products. More particularly-our inv'entiol'l relates to the treatment of phtha'lic anhy dride its homologues or its'derivatives such as chlor-phthalic anhydride, with benzol, its derivatives or homologues such as toluol and anhydrous al'uminumchloride or other chlorides of polyvalent' metals approaching in]; the metalloid character; to produce anthraquinone or its correspondinghomologues or I derivatives. The main object of the invention is'toprovide a process of this character v which may be cheaplyand efliciently carried 13f out with the production of valuable by-prodnets and the utilization over again fcertain reagents. Further and more specific'objects, features and advantages will more clearly a m pear from thedetail 'descr'iptiongiven below. As an example of a preferred embodiment of our process for making anthraguinone', we put 850'lbs. of benzol in a suitable kettle or still provided with a stirreran'd addthereto' 180 lbs. of anh drous aluminum chloride, then 100 lbs. of phthalic an'hydride are added thereto and the batch heated graduall' as by a water jacket to between 70 and80 with continual stirrin'g'g. "This "treatment is kept upuntil the evolution" o'f HCl gas racticallyceases which is generally in about eight.

hours. .The'still' is provided-"with a reflux condenser which'return's volatilizedib'enzol to I th'e 'still while the HCl gas which i's'distilled 1 o'fl'iduring the operation is' p'ermitte'dto pass out and is preferablyabsorbedin aniline-to form aniline hydrochloride. The above treatment causes a reaction between thefben- I zol and phthalic anhydride and aluminum chloride forming benzoyl' benzoic' acid' aluminum chloride. That is, the aluminum chlo-' ride seems to be actually chemically combined with the'benzo'yl benzoic acid inmolecular proportions. g v When" the reaction" is completed as evidenced-by the-substantial ceasing of HCl' evolution the reflux condenser-may be discon nectediandia portion oi theben'zol distilled-off and condensed for re'use; Or instead; 285' lbs. ofsulphuric acid of about 7 0% strenqth or less may be added direchtoIthecharge e-' i A lication filed September 1311920. Serial No. 409311.

fore distillingout any benzol or after some has been distilled'out as above. During the addition otthis sulphuric acid the heat of reaction serves to aid in distilling out the benzol remaining. The addition of'this acid converts the benzo'yl'benzoic acid aluminum chloride intoaluminuni benz oyl benzoate andaluminum sulphate and hydrochloric acid, and converts the aluminum benzoyl benzoate into benzoyl benzoic acid and aluminum sulphate. Heat is applied if necessary to expel anyremaining benzol which is condensed and recoveredfor reuse in the process. During the addition of this sulphuric acid and this benzol distillation, some hydrochloric acid 5 will be given off which may be separated from the benzol bycondensing the benzol sep aratelyor absorbingw it in suitable hydrocar-' bon and the hydrochloric acid is run into'concentrated sulphuric acid toremove the water therefrom'after which the hydrochloric acid is absorbed in aniline to form aniline hydrochloride. We find that hydrochloric acid produced in thi s'wayis especially pure and capable offlproducing.especially pure aniline hydrochlorideor similar organic hydrochlorides in pure form. I .The weakened sulphuric acid produced may beused to treat the next batch. as above. I v t 1 In the still therevnow remains a concenso tra'ted solution of aluminum sulphate' together withmolten ben'zoyl benzoic acid and also some hydrochloric acid. After first cooling-the contents of thestill We addthereto 'about' 900 lbs. of oleumof about 20% strength and maintain the cooling action while "adding the 'ol'eum. The Weight and percentage of oleum should be figured so as to leave sulphuric; acid of not more than about 98 strength. This addition of oleum drives as the remainder of the HCl which may be absorbed in" aniline or'other organic compound to produce valuable by-products. The addition of oleum also dissolves the benzoyl benzoic acid and partially 'dissolves'the aluminum sulphate, The batch is then heatedwith the-concentrated sulphuric acid for about two orthree hours to about C. untilgsubstantially all the benzoyl'benzoic acid is: dehydrated and condensed to anthraquinone, which remains dissolved in the sulphuric acid. 7 Thus by dehydrating as used hereand in the appended claims we mean the.

3 removal of water of constitution from the organic product. The batch is then drowned in at least an equal volume of water where-r and is purified'in any well-known orsuitable manner; The liquor containing sulphuric acid and aluminum sulphate is neutralized by adding sufiicient slaked lime or calcium carbonate-to neutralize the ffreefacid. "The calcium sulphate is filtered off and 'the'fil- V I v I pointed out certain modificatlons which may trate containing aluminum sulphate is evaporateddown to such a degree thatit contams a little more than=l8 molecules of water to onemolecule of'aluminumsulphate and-then is allowed to cool whereupon crude aluminum sulphate crystali'zes out?" If purerlaluminum sulphate isdesired this crude product may: be

' suitably purified or instead 7 the 1 aluminum sulphate may be decomposed with sodium car- '40 composition aswill'be 'readily 'understood' iby bonate or otherwise, and pure aluminum salts madefrom the hydrate produced. 7 From the above it: willbe seen that we are enabled'toj carry the reactions through to a final production; of 'anthraquinone: without separating the benzoyl benzoic acid from the aluminum-salt. That is, the benzoyl benzoic acid and anthraquinone are'made in the same vessel without separating the benzoyl benzolc acid from the aluminumsalts before transe V forming it into anthraquinone. j r 4 Instead of usingisulphuric acid to decompose the benzoyl benzoic acid aluminumchlo 'ride,"'we vmay use hydrochloric 'acid ofcom mercial strength to decompose the same, form-' ing benzoyl benzoic acid and Al Gl Likewise many other acids may beused forthis dethose skilled: in'the artbut we prefer touse charact'ensuchas ferric chloridei with the result that 'homologues orderivatives of i; anthraquinoneiwill be formed ac 6 sulphuric acid because of the more [valuable by-products formed thereby and: because it Y 5 mayzbeiused inthelremoval ofwater from the hydrochloricwa'cid produced in g the .sprocess;

It-will also be readily understoodj'by those ,skilledin the art that'various advantages of l the process maybe obtained boy-substituting J for? the benz'olits derivativesor homologues,

such astoluoli and by: substituting for the L "phthalic anhydr'ide, its-homologues or dee rivatives, such as F chlor-phthalic anhydride and I alsdby; substituting tor-"the aluminum ,L chloride other anhydrous chlorides of polyvalent metals approaching I the metalloid cording to.

produced i. i h -,,5,.;The process whifch consists in decom;

converted and good'yields are not obtained,

Likewise we find that by decomposing the organic aluminum chloride compound with acid and particularly with sulphuric acid in steadfof decomposing the same with alkalis,

formed,instead of aluminum hydrate, which is moreeasily-separated out and more deslrable to obtain than the aluminum hydrateL 3 'While we have described our improvements withrespect to a preferred form'thereof and be made, it will be understood that many other changes and modifications maybe made i without departingifromthe spirit and scope of the invention in its broader aspects. a

What We claim as new and desire to secure ,by Letters Patent is: 1 7

' -'1. The process which consists indec'onr posing the aluminum chloride addition product of ortho' benzoyl benzoic acid, its monomethyl or monochlor derivatives, with sulphuric acid to free the organic compound. from the aluminum chloride andto remove water of constitution from the 7 organic compound to produce anthraquinone, its. monomethyl or monochlorderivatives-without refmfovaltherefrom; of the aluminum sulphate produced.

2. The process which consists in decompos 1 ing thealuminum chloride,addition product of ortho benzoyl benzoic acid*-,*- its; monomethyl; or monochlor derivatives, with-sulphuric acid toq freezthenorganic compound from the aluminum chloride, and then add in'g olleum to 7 {remove water of constitution from the f organic compound .to. produce anthraquinone, its monomethyl or. monochlorderivatives.

-' The: processv which consists idecompos- 7 ing the aluminum chloride, addition product of ortho benzoyl benzoici acid, its monomethyl or monochlor; dei'iviltives," with sulphuric :a'cid to-free the organic "compound 7 from thefaluminum chloride, "and then} adding "oleum, to remove Water :of :constitution from J the organic compound to n ."produce annthraquinone, itsf monomethyl "or mono"- chlor derivativeswithout removal of the aluminum sulphatejproduced; e a V 4'. Theprocess wh' h consists in decomposing thefmetal chloride addition product of ,ortho-benzoyl benzoic acid, its monomethyl orvmonochlor derivatives,1withsulphuric acid to free the organic compound from the metal chloride, and togremove wa- 3 ter of constitutionv IEl'OIIlithQ organic compound .to producefanthraquinone, its mono methyl or monochlorpderivatives, without removal therefrom of the metal sulphate posing the metal chloride addition product of V ortho-benzoyl benzoic acid, its mono methyl or monochlor derivatives with sulphuric acid to free the organic compound from the metal chloride, and then adding oleum to remove Water of constitution from the organic compound to produce anthraquinone, its monomethyl or monochlor derivatives. r I 6. The process Whiclrconsists in decomposing the metal chloride addition product of ortho-benzoyl benzoic acid, its monomethyl or or monochlor derivatives with sulphuric acid to free the organic compound from the metal chloride, and then adding oleum to remove Water of constitution from the organic compound to produce anthraquinone, its monomethyl or monochlor derivatives, without removal therefrom ofthe metal sulphate produced.

, 7. Theprocess which consists in decomposing the aluminum'chloride addition prod not of ortho-benzoyl benzoic acid, its monomethyl derivative or the monochlor derivative of either, with sulphuric acid to free the organic compound from the aluminum chloride and toremove water of constitution from the organic compound to produce anthraquinone, its monomethyl or monochlor derivatives without removal therefrom of the aluminum sulphate produced.

8. The process of making an anthraquinone body which comprises heating an o-aroylbenzoic aluminum chloride compound with strong sulfuric acid.

' 9. The process of making an anthraquinone body which comprises heating an o-bezoylbenzoic aluminum chloride compound with strong sudfuric acid.

40 10. The process of making an anthraquinone body which comprises heating v o-benzoylbenzoic-alumjnum chloride compound with: strong sulfuric acid. Signed by the said ELLIS A. LLOYD at New I York, in the county of New'York, and State of New York, this 13th day of August, 1920.

' ELLIS A. LLOYD.

Signed by the said VICTOR P. GERSHON at I New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, this 13th day of August, 1920. V I I VICTOR P. GERSHON. 

